


Of Parenting and Promises

by A_Reflective_Projection



Series: Of Dawn and Dreams [1]
Category: One Piece
Genre: Angst, Big brother Shanks, Brotherhood, Competent Buggy (One Piece), Crew as Family, ENJOY! :), Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Family Feels, Family Fluff, Feels, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Found Family, Gen, Hurt/Comfort, I just love they're family dynamic, Insecure Buggy, Kid Buggy, Kid Fic, Kid Shanks, Lore - Freeform, One Piece lore, Original Song, Pirate Lore, Pirates Party, Protective Buggy, Protective Shanks, Roger POV, Roger Pirates Era, Sea Shanties, Silver Age of Pirates, Singing, Who doesn't post at midnight?, good dad Roger, kid just wants his dad to be his dad, very cute, very fun to write
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-18
Updated: 2021-02-18
Packaged: 2021-03-13 13:07:45
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 4,572
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29526849
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/A_Reflective_Projection/pseuds/A_Reflective_Projection
Summary: It’s Shanks’ and Buggy’s 6th month anniversary of being scooped off the streets and plopped on board the Oro Jackson. By now they’ve pretty well settled in, but there may be a few insecurities still simmering under the surface.Featuring: mostly age appropriate partying, learning a song and Roger being a good dad.One-shot: Can be read alone, keeps continuity with Of Dawn and Dreams series lore
Relationships: Akagami no Shanks | Red-Haired Shanks & Buggy, Akagami no Shanks | Red-Haired Shanks & Gol D. Roger, Buggy & Gol D. Roger, Gol D. Roger & Silvers Rayleigh
Series: Of Dawn and Dreams [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1795324
Comments: 2
Kudos: 31





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Another fic, another song. 
> 
> I wrote this song in the second week of March 2020. I was on my first cruise living in blissful (if slightly worried) ignorance, as back on land the pandemic truly picked up speed. I was on a boat and the song just sort of came to me- it’s that deep. 
> 
> As for this fic, it was really fun to write. The dynamic between kid Buggy, kid Shanks and Roger as they’re dad is full of potential. I already have a bit of a backlog and many more plans for them. With the Roger Pirates, there are more untold stories than told one’s, so I intend to fill some of it in. :)
> 
> Hope you enjoy!

“Aahhh, Captain!” Buggy yelled, squirming indignantly. 

Roger just laughed, hoisting his newly acquired cabin brat up onto his shoulders, not minding in the slightest how Buggy’s hands grabbed and pulled at his hair as he scrambled to regain his balance. He kept one solid hand on Buggy’s back the other holding onto one leg. After a second Buggy managed to stabilize himself, his two small hands fisting tight handfuls of hair on either side of Roger’s head. 

“Waahh, Captain, Captain, can I get a turn? I want a ride too!” Shanks yelled, darting around Roger’s feet and pulling at his pant legs. 

“Alright brat, come here!” Roger loomed over Shanks with mock menace and a cheshire grin.

Shanks’ eyes immediately went wide, but before he could sprint away Roger pounced. An easy grab at the boy's ankle swung Shanks up and over, shrieking as he dangled upside down. 

Buggy was already laughing and Roger attacking Shanks’ exposed tummy with tickles left him in a giggle fit as well. Roger let his oldest dangle for a bit before flipping him right side up, sitting him on one arm and tucking him close. Shanks’ immediately latching onto his neck. Once they were both within arms reach of each other the two started bickering again. Poking and pulling at the other to get them to move. Roger found himself having to balance carefully and steady Buggy with a hand to insure neither of them fell. 

Across the deck Rayleigh huffed at his antics and Roger could help grinning wildly back at his first mate. It was the boys sixth months anniversary of being on board and Roger already couldn’t imagine life before his cabin brats. Even the most skeptical of the crew had warmed up to them and grown fond by now. More than one having whistled in appreciation at Shanks fierce sword style or fallen prey to Buggy’s sticky fingers. The crew had come to understand their potential as careful attention had sanded down the rough defensive spikes in their personalities. 

(Three regular meals a day, as much as they could healthily eat, filling in their slightly hollowed cheeks and hiding the bumps of their spins. New clothes, picked up at different islands, now not only decent, clean and appropriately sized, but also starting to express their own personalities. Flinches and weary eyes that slowly faded into clingy touches and curious stares. He was so  _ proud  _ of his boys.) 

Deciding not to push his luck too far, Roger made his way over to the bench around the back mast and sat down. Shanks dropped down to his right side, sitting on the bench but with Roger’s arm still securely around him. Buggy squirmed a little before Roger helped him down, depositing him on his left side. 

Roger grinned. His arms were wrapped around both his kids as they continued to biker and poke each other across his lap. He let them be for the moment, content that they were safe and accounted for. Instead, he took a glance at the rest of his crew scattered around on the raised back deck. 

A few crates had been brought out for makeshift chairs, though Rayleigh had dragged his chair out from the gallery as usual. There was less booze than normal, mainly because this party was supposed to be for the kids and it really wasn’t fair for them to get roaringly drunk on a night celebrating them (even if it was mostly just an excuse to throw another party). 

The general air was cheerful and relaxed. It made Roger’s heart warm, seeing his crew interact easily with each other. Shanks and Buggy really had brought a new life to the crew. Adding a common spark, in addition to himself, that everyone could talk about and rally around. Some of the most fearsome pirates on the Grandline excitedly gushing about managing to teach one of them a new technique and trading cute pictures like exclusive drugs. 

Done with his musing Roger called out, “Alright boys!” Getting everyone’s attention. “How about we teach these brats another song?” 

Both boys instantly perked up at this, halting their prodding to look up at him with large anticipatory eyes. In the background some of the crew called out their approval, with whistles and shouts. 

“What should it be?” “Bink’s Sake?” “Nah, they should have learned that one by now.” “Could do On High.” “Maybe next time-”

“Enough, enough. They don’t know all the words for ‘The Sailor’s Sea’ yet, and I’m tired of hearing the same two lines hummed around,” Rayleigh declared. He pointed his bottle threateningly at Roger. “If you’re going to teach them, teach them the whole song, not just your favorite lines!”

“But Raaayyyy,” Roger whined exaggeratedly to make the two boys next to him giggle. Roger glanced conspiratorially down at his kids. “He just doesn’t appreciate the beauty of it,” he mock whispered.

Rayleigh rolled his eyes. “I just don’t like you running about the ship, singing the same two blasted lines over and over again. There’s more than one verse for seas sake!” 

Roger laughed brightly at him, while Buggy tugged at his coat. “I want to learn all of them!” he said determinedly, his vote quickly seconded by Shanks enthusiastic nodding. 

Grinning down at them, Roger answered. “Alright, pay attention and we’ll go a verse at a time. The official first verse starts with, “ _ Listen to the wind _ ,” he started in a deep baritone, a hand waving up at the masts, “ _ that’s calling in my sails _ .”

The boys nodded seriously, Shanks mouthing along with the words as Roger continued. “ _ The tides are drifting down the shore, to guide us to the gales _ .”

“What are gales?” Buggy piped up.

“Uh, they’re like really strong winds,” Roger informed. “Alright next,  _ And I know somewhere out there riches we will find~ _ ”

“Oh! Oh! We know that part!” Shanks said excitedly.

“Then let’s hear it,” Roger prompted with a grin.

The boys both glanced at each other before belting out, “ _ Gold and galleons stacked for miles, treasure of every kind. _ ” 

The crew laughed along with the cabin brats’ words. “I bet you love that line, hu Bug?” Gaban mocked, with a lazy grin. 

Roger laughed while Buggy turned a fierce scowl to the older man. “Shut up!” he yelled indignantly. “I’ll get your coin purse yet!” He stuck his tongue out at the other, pulling down the skin on one eye to make a face. 

“Hey, hey, none of that now,” Roger chided with a chuckle. With ease he scooped Buggy up and onto his lap, earning a shriek from his youngest. Buggy shot a betrayed glare at him, but Roger just grinned ruffling his blue hair. It was just starting to grow out again, managing about three inches that flopped all over his head. The rats nest he’d arrived with having been shaved off at Rayleigh’s command much to the younger’s disapproval. 

“I’m taking care of all of that now, you don’t need to worry about any gold till you get your own ship. Anything you need you just ask me,” Roger said, booping Buggy on the nose causing him to flush with embarrassment. “I’ll wrangle the funds out of our stingy treasurer,” he winked. 

Shanks leaned a little further into his side and while Roger could feel him looking up at him with uncontained awe, he kept his open, truthful gaze fixed on Buggy as the younger scrutinized him. Finding no lie Buggy’s eyes dropped, biting his lip he nodded shyly. Roger broke the serious mood by pulling him close and blowing a raspberry on top of his head. Buggy’s arms flailed, trying to push him away with a whine of ‘Captain!’ while Shanks laughed. 

“Come on now, you’re never going to get through the song like this,” Rayleigh complained. “Next line is, And as much as I love the steady ground, the land, the grass, the trees-”

Roger picked singing where his first mate had only spoken, “ _ There’s nothing quite like the sea that’s rolling and the salty breeze. _ ”

A nudge to either side of him he prompted the boys to repeat the line with him. “ _ There’s nothing quite like the sea that’s rolling and the salty breeze. _ ”

“Aye aye!” the crew cheered in agreement. 

“Alright there’s one. How many verses are there Ray? Three, four?” Roger asked.

“Five,” Rayleigh replied. 

Roger sputtered. “That’s way too many! Sorry boys, let’s try the ‘learn as you go’ method, just jump in where you remember a line. You’ll pick ‘em up eventually!” Roger laughed. 

Both boys whined, but their protests were drowned out as Roger loudly yelled for the crew to start. Boisterous voices filled the air, the youngest joining in singing a beat after everyone else, as they copied their words. 

_ Listen to the wind, _

_ That’s calling in my sails. _

_ The tides are drifting down the shore _

_ To guide us to the gales. _

_ And I know somewhere out there, riches we will find. _

_ Gold and galleons stacked for miles, treasure of every kind! _

_ And as much as I love the steady ground, the land, the grass, the trees, _

_ There’s nothing quite like the sea that’s rolling and the salty breeze. _

_ There’s nothing quite like the sea that’s rolling and the salty breeze! _

“Verse two!” Roger bellowed. 

_ She feeds me on adventure, _

_ She sings of distant lands. _

_ And though I’ve hardly found my way  _

_ I know she has some plans. _

Roger sang to the two boys, winking at Shanks at the last line and making him giggle. 

_ So I’ll sail out with a smile, and the sun upon my back. _

_ In tandem with the wind and waves, I know we’ll find the track! _

Across the deck Rayleigh met his Captain's eyes and they shared a nostalgic look, thinking back to when they’d first started their journey. 

_ For as long as the oceans under me, and stars, and sky above, _

_ I know there’s no place I’d rather be than on waters I love. _

_ I know there’s no place I’d rather be than on waters I love! _

Shanks and Buggy who had trailed off, in unknown lyrics picked back up on the repeated line, eager to make their voices heard among the crew. 

_ We’ve up rooted out roots, _

_ From the land and placed them on the sea. _

_ Drinking the salt as though it were fresh _

_ Our minds and souls in key. _

Several men cheered drowning some more booze in the line break. Leaving Roger’s voice to carry the loudest as he dramatically enacted the next lines for his kids. 

_ And though we get warned of monstrous waves, and creatures of the deep, _

_ Of krakens and pirates and Davy Jones, that for our souls compete! _

_ We know that we will find our way, even when all seems lost, _

_ For the sea will guide us safely home, no matter what the cost. _

_ For the sea will guide us safely home, no matter what the cost! _

“Verse three, the nakama one,” Roger exclaimed. Shanks and Buggy both perked at that, having heard this one verse repeated many times before. Roger pulled them both close as they sang. 

_ Beside my sides, behind my back, _

_ My trusted crew will be. _

_ For there’s nothing that can break the bounds _

_ Forged on the stormy sea! _

_ Friends to enemies to friends with strangers all around, _

_ We’ll seek the glory out there, adventurers will be found! _

_ For the family that I left behind, and family I set out to find, _

Roger looked pointedly at the two boys huddled in his lap and next to him with a large grin. Shanks grinned widely back while Buggy ducked his head badly hiding a pleased smile. 

_ We’ll seek the treasure of the deep and pray that she be kind. _

_ We’ll seek the treasure of the deep and pray that she be kind! _

“Last one, on me!” Roger exclaimed. As he sang loudly, the rest of the voices followed his lead. 

_ No matter how treacherous, _

_ That it may seem to be. _

_ For all the ships that sail and sink _

_ Into the salty sea. _

_ They just don’t know what I know, about how the waters play. _

_ For her smiling shores and peaking waves, will always lead my way. _

_ And as much as I love my homeland, and the people I leave behind, _

_ It’s nothing on the people out there, and adventures I will find. _

“All together now!” Roger cried out, bellowing the last line with the rest of his crew. 

_ It’s nothing on the people out there, and adventures I will find! _

Cheers and laughter rose up among the crew as the song finished. Beside him Buggy and Shanks laughed openly, flushed from the excited atmosphere of the crew. (Not to mention the happy and content waves of haki Roger blanketed his crew with. The kids being the closest to him and untrained in haki being put the most at ease from his semi-conscious reassurances.) 

“Think you got all that?” Roger asked, grinning. 

Buggy made an unimpressed face at him while Shanks laughed. “No way!” the red-head said. 

“Ah well, we’ll just have to go over it again some other time,” Roger chuckled. Throat a little dry, he waved a hand signaling for a drink. It was Rayleigh that ended up bringing a mug over, long suffering. 

“Hey gimme, I’m thirty too,” Shanks said, making grabby hands. 

Rayleigh just passed the drink over his red head to Roger who grabbed it and took a large sip. “You really want to try some, kid?” Roger asked. 

“Yeah! You all drink it all the time, so it must be good!” Shanks protested. 

“You can’t give the kids alcohol, Captain,” Rayleigh sighed. 

“Come on Ray, they’re big boys, let ‘em try some!” Roger needled, winking at his first mate with amusement clear in his eyes. He handed his mug to a curious Buggy, who smelled it and made a face. 

Rayleigh huffed at him but relented allowing Shanks to take his drink. Beautifully timed both boys tried a sip and their near instant spit take sent Roger into uproarious laughter. Even Rayleigh chuckled at Buggy’s absolutely betrayed look, while Shanks tried to whip the taste off with his sleeve. 

Calming down Roger patted them both on the back reassuringly. “Don’t worry boys you’ll like it when you’re older, there’s a reason little pirates aren’t allowed to drink.” He grinned at them. 

Rayleigh handed a mug full of water another crew member had brought over to each of the boys. Shanks immediately downed it while Buggy smelt it suspiciously before greedily drinking the water as well. “Speaking of little pirates,” Rayleigh continued. “It’s about time for little pirates to head to bed.” 

“Waaaa, Rayleigh-san-!” Shanks immediately protested. 

“No but’s,” Rayleigh cut him off with a firm glare. “You both have chores to do tomorrow, so I expect you to be up bright and early. That goes for the rest of you a lot too!” Rayleigh yelled, directing the last bit at the rest of the crew. He got some boos and unenthusiastic agreements in response which he simply rolled his eyes at. 

Roger cut off any further protesting by handing both their drinks back to Rayleigh before picking them up around the middle and tucking them under his arms. “Come on now. No one wants to go on an adventure tired! There’ll be plenty more excitement tomorrow,” he assured the two whining boys. 

Buggy stopped struggling fairly quickly with a huff, but Shanks was persistent. The red-head was mock dropped a couple of times to much shrieking on his part, laughter on Rogers and to both their enjoyment. 

Roger kicked open the door to their room, it ran into a pile of clothes on the way open and Roger made a note to add ‘cleaning their room’ to the list of chores for tomorrow. It wasn’t big, just two hammocks stacked on top of each other and a dresser. But each boy also had a shelf where they had started to collect various nick-knacks (a bright pink shell from the last island on Buggy’s, a giant maple leaf in vivid red from their first fall island salvaged before it was swept off the ship on Shanks’). 

There were books on the Grandline’s different climates stacked up against the wall Buggy had taken from the library and hadn’t returned yet. A beat up but meticulously maintained treasure box complete with a combination lock Buggy had bought at their first island stop with money he’d swiped from the crew, tucked in the furthest corner of the room and half hidden by clothes. 

Shanks had a small collection of rocks and sea glass in an open jar by the dresser and a poster with sword fighting positions, a gift from Rayleigh, tacked on the wall. 

First, he deposited Buggy on the bottom hammock before lifting Shanks up and setting him in the top one. The boy immediately snuggled in, pulling his blanket up to his chest. Roger grinned at him and got one in return. “Sleep well, kid,” he said, ruffling his hair. 

“Night Captain,” Shanks responded. 

One kid tucked in, Roger crouched down so he was on eye level with the other. To his surprise Buggy hadn’t laid down yet, but was instead still sitting up. His legs still dangling off the hammock, hands in his lap and a pensive frown on his face. 

Knowing Buggy’s thinking face by now, Roger settled in for a conversation. He reached out and placed one hand over both of Buggy’s in the younger's lap, easily dwarfing them. “Hey Bug,” he asked gently, quieter than he’d been all night but still upbeat. “Something on your mind?” 

His youngest bit his lip, and Roger could feel his hand clenching and unclenching under his. “Did you really mean it?” Buggy asked quietly. 

A frown crossed Roger’s face and he tilted his head in confusion. Above he noticed Shanks had rolled over and was now peeking over the edge of his hammock to watch their conversation. Before Roger could ask for clarification, Buggy provided it. “Did you really mean you’ll get us anything? That you’ll- that you’ll-” Buggy’s breath hitched as Roger squeezed his hands gently. 

“Of course,” Roger said steadily, he brought his other hand up to Buggy’s chin encouraging the younger to raise his head and meet his gaze. “You’re part of my crew now, my nakama, mine to protect and provide for. And I will always keep my family safe and happy,” Roger said firmly. 

Instead of being reassured Buggy’s lip quivered and his eyes watered. “But we're not!” he exclaimed distressed. “We’re too little to be part of the crew! We’re not old enough to be pirates, and you say we’re cabin brats but we’re not even old enough to be apprentices! Why would you keep us around?! We’re not useful! What’s to stop you from deciding that and dropping us on the next island!?” Buggy yelled. He’d worked himself up into a suitable fit, tears falling and snot dripping from his nose. 

Roger’s heart broke a little at the distress his youngest radiated, above him Shanks had gone quiet and still in an instinctive bid not to draw attention to himself. He remembered bringing them on board. Both had fought viciously at first, though he’d eventually been able to convince Shanks of his sincerity after he’d taken out a local gang that had been giving the boys trouble. 

Even still, while he’d followed Shanks on board, Buggy had been silent for the first week, only speaking with Shanks in hushed tones. He’d opened up slowly, so slowly. Starting with curt answers only when directly asked a question but eventually expanding to tentative questions on where they were going or what things were. It had been like pulling teeth to get the boy to ask for anything, Buggy having instead taken to swiping loose coins from the crew and sneaking off to buy things whenever they stopped at an island. 

(Roger was of the opinion that if a crew mate got their money swiped, it was their own fault for not being observant enough. Sure the kid was good, but he was still a  _ kid,  _ so there was no excuse for New World caliber pirates to get got by him. Still, that didn’t negate the problem that Buggy felt the need to steal from them in the first place. Nor that he’d nearly given Roger a heart attack the first time he’d dropped out of his observations range while sneaking off to buy things.) 

At first, Roger hadn't wanted to make the kids work, but Rayleigh had pointed out that they were bored and feeling useless with nothing to do and now that they were no longer painfully skinny there really wasn’t a reason to keep them from doing chores. Plus, he’d argued, it was an excuse to give the boys an allowance and make them feel like they were earning their keep. Roger could have kissed him, when Buggy had nearly instantly relaxed after the stern first mate had put them to work. 

Buggy had become more open in the past months, but he really should have seen this building for a while now. Hopefully, this would be the final push to fully convince the kid that they weren’t going to get rid of them, they were in this for the long haul. 

Making sure to telegraph his movements, Roger used his sleeve to wipe Buggy’s face, uncaring of the snot getting smeared on his Captain’s coat. “You’re here because I want you to be here,” Roger said, shushing Buggy gently when he opened his mouth to protest. 

“I see potential in you and Shanks, potential that will make you great men some day. I saw it that first day, back in that alley, and I see it now. But more than that, I care about you,” Roger said sincerely. “Both of you.” He glanced meaningfully up to where Shanks was watching them with rapt attention. “You’re important to me, you’re my namaka, my family, my kids.” Buggy’s breath hitched. 

“I didn’t want to ask before because I didn’t want to pressure you,” Roger continued, a hint of nervousness entering his voice but also conviction. “But I see now that waiting isn’t doing any good.” He ran a caring hand through Buggy’s hair, squeezing his hands tightly. “I’d like the two of you to be my kids, officially, in the eyes of the Sea.”

Buggy’s shoulders shook, sucking in a shocked shuddering breath, and Roger gathered him in his arms before glancing up at the other. The redhead’s eyes were blown wide with disbelief and hope and Roger could see him trembling slightly. 

“Really?” Shanks asked, sounding small and vulnerable in a way that was rare. 

Roger graced him with his brightest, most sincere smile. “Really.”

Shanks eyes darted down to Buggy, secured in a tight hug, then back up to meet Roger’s eyes. Coming to a decision, the redhead nodded frantically. “I want you to be our dad.”

Roger’s heart swelled at the words, a smile splitting his face. “Ok, I’d love to be your dad too Shanks. What about you, Buggy? Do you want me to be your dad?” he prompted tenderly, looking down at the head of his youngest buried in his arms. 

A beat passed, then another, before Buggy nodded forcefully against his chest. He made a noise of affirmation before finding the words to speak. “Please- please be our dad!”

Roger squeezed him tighter, blowing a messy kiss onto the top of his head and making Buggy squeal. “Of course, I’ll be your dad! I’m the one who asked first!” He laughed, joy radiating from his being. “We’ll talk more about it tomorrow, ok? How to do the ceremony and what it means, but before you go to bed tomorrow night you’ll officially be my kids, I promise,” Roger swore. 

Buggy nodded against him, while Shanks made a happy humming noise. “Alright, now it’s really time for bed.” Roger kissed the top of Buggy’s head again, before detaching him and tucking him in. Buggy went easily, exhausted from the high emotions and late hours. 

One kid taken care of, Roger stood. He gave Shanks another hair ruffle and kiss on the forehead, making him giggle. Roger was sure that the large grin on Shanks’ face was mirrored on his own, he hoped the kids cheeks didn’t start to hurt. 

With them tucked in Roger made his way to the doorway, hand hovering on the light switch. “Night boys,” he said. 

“Night Captain.” “Night Captain.” Then after a second a shy voice added, as if just realizing he could, “Night dad...”

A second later, Shanks' enthusiastic voice followed. “Night Dad!” 

Roger laughed, his heart swelling at his kids' words. “Sleep well kids,” he said, and turned off the light. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Aaannnd that’s that! I had a lot of fun writing this, so I hoped you liked it. Let me know if you like this song format and I’ll see about doing some more. I enjoy writing them, but they’re also labor intensive and a little fickle to write. The full song can be seen in Chapter 2. 
> 
> Come say hi to me on [discord](https://discord.gg/bKSrRxCAbp) https://discord.gg/bKSrRxCAbp if you have opinions on what little Buggy and Shanks scenes I should write next. 
> 
> Thank you for reading and be sure to leave a comment to feed my soul. :)


	2. The Sailor’s Sea

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Just the lyrics

_ Listen to the wind, _

_ That’s calling in my sails. _

_ The tides are drifting down the shore _

_ To guide us to the gales. _

_ And I know somewhere out there, riches we will find. _

_ Gold and galleons stacked for miles, treasure of every kind! _

_ And as much as I love the steady ground, the land, the grass, the trees, _

_ There’s nothing quite like the sea that’s rolling and the salty breeze. _

_ There’s nothing quite like the sea that’s rolling and the salty breeze! _

\---

_ She feeds me on adventure, _

_ She sings of distant lands. _

_ And though I’ve hardly found my way  _

_ I know she has some plans. _

_ So I’ll sail out with a smile, and the sun upon my back. _

_ In tandem with the wind and waves, I know we’ll find the track! _

_ For as long as the oceans under me, and stars, and sky above, _

_ I know there’s no place I’d rather be than on waters I love. _

_ I know there’s no place I’d rather be than on waters I love! _

\---

_ We’ve up rooted out roots, _

_ From the land and placed them on the sea. _

_ Drinking the salt as though it were fresh _

_ Our minds and souls in key. _

_ And though we get warned of monstrous waves, and creatures of the deep, _

_ Of krakens and pirates and Davy Jones, that for our souls compete! _

_ We know that we will find our way, even when all seems lost, _

_ For the sea will guide us safely home, no matter what the cost. _

_ For the sea will guide us safely home, no matter what the cost! _

\---

_ *Beside my sides, behind my back, _

_ *My trusted crew will be. _

_ *For there’s nothing that can break the bounds _

_ *Forged on the stormy sea! _

_ Friends to enemies to friends with strangers all around, _

_ We’ll seek the glory out there, adventurers will be found! _

_ *For the family that I left behind, and family I set out to find, _

_ *We’ll seek the treasure of the deep and pray that she be kind. _

_ *We’ll seek the treasure of the deep and pray that she be kind! _

\---

_ No matter how treacherous, _

_ That it may seem to be. _

_ For all the ships that sail and sink _

_ Into the salty sea. _

_ They just don’t know what I know, about how the waters play. _

_ For her smiling shores and peaking waves, will always lead my way. _

_ And as much as I love my homeland, and the people I leave behind, _

_ It’s nothing on the people out there, and adventures I will find. _

_ It’s nothing on the people out there, and adventures I will find! _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Lines featured in Of Bets and Brothers Chapter 7 are shown with an *. 
> 
> This is the original version of the song, in its original order- however, it’s also a Sea Shanty. Verses are often sung out of order and sometimes even stanzas are mixed and matched. 
> 
> The 1st and 4th verse are the most well known. The 1st because it has the least amount of allusions to the Sea as a spiritual entity and thus can be openly sung in public, the 4th for some of that same reason and because people like it. 
> 
> Many seafarers have been known to change the lyrics in unpleasant company to make it sound more like they are talking about a woman back home or their ship then the Sea, which is seen as more acceptable by the World Government. 
> 
> Thanks for reading, I hope you enjoyed and be sure to leave a comment to feed my soul. :)


End file.
